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Just about everyone has probably been the subject of a background check at some point in their lives. Anyone who has ever had a job interview, rented an apartment, or purchased a firearm has most likely had a background check done. In particular, any career that involves working with children will require a background check. But what most people don’t know is that you don’t have to be an employer or a landlord to make use of background checks. There are many situations in which ordinary people would find great background checks to be of great use. Read on to find out how background checks could be of use to you.

Online dating is one avenue through which a person would find a use for a background check. Although it may seem “creepy” to obtain a background check on a potential partner who you met online, it may be a good idea to verify their marital status. A person could potentially land in a bad situation being party to an illicit affair with a married person.

An additional use for background checks that not many people have considered is the detection of identity theft. In today’s world of online commerce, it is easier than ever for criminals to commit identity theft due to the lack of face-to-face interaction. A skilled hacker can easily pull it off. Some types of background checks will easily detect if someone across the country has been using your name to pay for utilities or rent an apartment.

If you are a business owner or investor, you will also find a use for background checks: obtaining background info on potential business partners before you enter into a contract with them. With the unfortunate frequency of white collar crime, it is always a good idea to make sure the person you are dealing with is who they say they are, and not someone who has a history of scamming business people.

In this day and age, a background check may also help recent divorcees: a former spouse delinquent on the child support and/or alimony will also be easily tracked down by even a cheap background check.

Many state agencies offer background check services for a fee. There are also some commercial entities that will perform one for a price as well. “People search” services are a popular version of this. In addition, a simple Google search may turn up significant information, although you will have to sift through irrelevant results for more common names. Another option that will cost you nothing is to access the county’s public records. Be aware that this will only turn up information for that specific county. Most counties have an online database set up by which you can access this information for free, but in some cases you may have to make a trip to the county courthouse to request the information.

As you can see, background checks are not just for landlords or business owners. Even if you don’t have much use for them right now, remember that the option is available (at any budget) should the need ever arise.